1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to gauges and more particularly to gauges used in determining fixed distances between elements.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The bolts which are used to attach a wheel to an automobile are spaced at equal intervals along the circumference of a circle having a specified diameter. This circle is known as the bolt circle. If, for example, a bolt circle has a diameter of 43/4 inches and contains five bolts, the designation 5 on 43/4 or 5.times.43/4 is applied to it. Naturally, a wheel having a bolt circle of 5 on 43/4, for example, must be used on a hub having a bolt circle which is also 5 on 43/4.
Identifying the bolt circles of automobile wheels and the attaching studs on the automobile hub has become an almost impossible task due to the large number of different bolt circles used on modern automobiles. Many businesses need to identify these bolt circles quickly and easily. Therefore, a simple bolt pattern gauge is needed to quickly and easily identify the bolt circle on a given hub or wheel.
Existing, known fixed length gauges, such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,170,255, issued Feb. 1, 1916, to Hess, are not up to the task at hand. The Hess gauge provides contact surfaces at opposite ends of an elongated body for measuring the distance between parallel planar surfaces.